The Weekly: 03 April 2013
Highlights
ShutterBox lets you control dSLRs with Android devices, PC comes in a thumb drive, gesture control ala Minority Report, Ripple is new Currency, Evernote builds hardware, Augmented Reality for everyone
ShutterBox
Ubertronix, Inc. launched a Kickstarter project to develop a remote trigger sensor for your dSLR that can be controlled using an Android device. It can do anything from single shots to time lapse shots, and also lightning shots using the device sensor. Score one for Android.
Stick PCs
Think tablets and smart phones the size of a USB thumb drive, and minus the screen ( but of course right). Stick PCs are powered by ARM processors and can run Android and Ubuntu so long as you can find yourself peripherals like a monitor screen and keyboard.
Personally I can accept hauling a rollable or infrared keyboard around town, but where am I going to find a projection device that doesn't already come with an OS? Plus, a decent enough Android device today can already boot a fully operational Ubuntu. It may be a little too early to attract any attention at the moment, but this will eventually evolve into something really great soon.
Leap Motion
It's Minority Report Gestures coming to life! Say good-bye to your keyboards, mice and trackpads, and start using your hands instead. It's not cheap, but it will be soon I hope. Coming soon to a reality near you. www.leapmotion.com
Here's the video of it:
Here's the video of it:
I don't know about you but I get tired just watching the fella waving his finger in mid-air like that for so long.
Ripple
Post Great Recession called for currency be taken off the hands of bankers. Some many big corporations banded together to start a decentralized currency Ripple, which will convert to any other currency with almost no transaction cost whatsoever.
The difference between Ripple and Bitcoin is that Ripple is just simply an intermediary between currencies, without the mining capabilities. So instead of sending money to Australia from Malaysia via Western Union and being charged for transaction, send it in Ripple and the receiver can convert it to AUD without any costs.
Mainstream adoption of this currency will lead to many issues, but we shall reserve the discussion of that for another time.
That's right! An Evernote... note (just my prediction). Hopefully they will be a strong competitor to the Samsung Galaxy Note, just so we consumers get better and proper note-taking devices in the market so we can really consider going completely paperless.
Jolla: Sailfish from Finland
A bunch of ex-Nokians left with their MeeGo Project a few years back when Nokia decided to go Windows Phone. Jolla is their product, which they are planning to hit China hard. Makes sense as China is a still a big market for Nokia, and surprisingly not adopting iOS and Android as well as the rest of the world.
It looks like an Android/Ubuntu/Windows Phone UI to me.
Augment: Reality to Everyone
I wish I had this App back when I was a real estate negotiator because I know how frustrating it is to have reality fall so far short of visualization when furnishing a home. And not to mention help me sell better too. But for you guys out there, this thing here is really worth exploring.
Watch the video below to get an idea of what this App is about
